Mail-in voting season begins on Longboat Key

Voting season is underway as 1,345 vote-by-mail ballots are making their way to voters across Longboat Key. 

The ballots, which will be cast for the March 12 town of Longboat Key general election, were mailed Tuesday from Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner mailed a total of 733 ballots, while Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Michael Bennett mailed a total of 612. 

On the ballot for Longboat Key voters are two referendum issues: a measure to lengthen Town Commission terms from two years to three and a measure from a developer to establish residential density on a piece of Gulf of Mexico Drive property.

Voters have until 5 p.m. March 6 to request a vote-by-mail ballot. Sarasota County residents can do so by calling 941-861-8618 or visiting SarasotaVotes.com/VotebyMail. Manatee County residents can request a ballot by calling 941-741-3823 or visiting www.votemanatee.com. 

Once voters have a ballot, they have until 7 p.m. March 12 for the letter to physically be in the office. Ballots that arrive later than the 12th will not be accepted regardless of postmark date.

Voters can choose to mail the ballot back or drop it off in a drop box and their county’s voting office. Before turning the ballots in, voters should remember to sign the certificate on the ballot return envelope.